Improved means of affixing propeller-blades to the shaff



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

L. B. FLANDEI-S., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED MEANS 0F AFFIXING PROPELLER-BLADES T0 THE SHAFT.

Specification forming partof Leiters Patent No. 43,842, dated August 16,1864; aiitcdated August 5, v1864.

To all uho'mit may concern:

Be it known that I, L. B. FLANDERS, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Ithe Construction of Propellers,Propeller-Shafts, and Bearings for the same; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters ofreference marked thereon.

My invention consists: First, in a propeller composed of Ablades tittedon and secured directly to the propeller-shaft by pins passing throughor fitting in the said shaft, and arranged apart from each other, all asdescribed hereinafter, so as to avoid the massive and cumbrous hubs ofpropellers of the usual construction, and so that one or more of theblades, if damaged, can be readily replaced without disturbing thosewhich remain entire; secondly, in a bearing of the peculiar constructiondescribed hereinafter,whereby thelubricating-oil is always maintained incontact with the journal, and access to the latter of water. mud, sand,Ste., prevented.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and apply myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

' On reference to the accompanying` drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, gure 1 is a side view, partly in section, illustrating myimprovement in propellers, propeller-shafts, and bearin gs for the same;Fig. 2, an end View of the propeller; Fig. 3, a transverse section ofone of the blades; Fig. 4, a modification of the propeller; Fig. 5, adetached explanatory view; Fig. 6, an enlarged sectional view of thebearing, and Fig. 7 a transverse sectional view of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

A represents a portion of the l'iropeller-shaft, and B the bearingsecured to the stern of the vessel, on the outside of which the portiona of the shaft is enlarged and made square, the sh aft on the insideofthe bearin g bein g provided with a collar, b. In the presentvinstance the propeller has the four blades C and G and D and D', whichare secured to the shaft in the following manner: The base e of eachblade is fitted accurately to one of the surfaces of the square portiona of the shaft A, and from the base upward a part of each blade is madeof sufficient thickness (see Fig. 3) to admit one of the taperedportions of a substantial pin, E, which is firmly secured to the squareportion of the shaft by a suitable key, f. rIwo pins, E and E', arefitted and firmly secured to the square portion of the shaft, the formerfor carrying the blades C and C and the latter for carrying the blades Dand D', eachtapering projecting portion of each pin being accuratelyfitted to a tapering orifice in one of the blades, and secured theretoby a key, t', the driving of which tight insures the' binding of theblade tightly to the shaft, and at the same time prevents the blade from`being twisted from the desired angle to which it has been adjusted.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 my in-.

vention is applied to the' construction of side propellers used in themanner described in my patent of September 18, 1860. In this case Arepresents a longitudinal shaft made square for the reception of thebases of the blades, four substantial pins being secured to the shaft atthe desired distance apart from each other, and each pin carrying one ofthe blades. Iii some instances I secure the blades more rigidly to theshaft by square pins y, as seen in Fig.

5, one half of the pin entering the shaft and the other half enteringthe base of the blade, which may have several notches, t, to receivehalf of the pin, so that the angle of the blade can be changed atpleasure.

'Ihe peculiar construction of the bearing for thc propeller-shaft willbe best observed on reference to Figs. 5 and 6. The cast-iron bracket B,which is secured to the stern of the vessel, as well as the cap B', arerecessed, so that oilchainbers It h may intervene between the brasssteps m 1n, in which the journal a of the propeller-shaft turns, and theend of the recesses, these steps being fitted into the bracket and capin the manner illustrated in Fig. 5. Two permanent collars, a; areformed on the shaft, one bearing against one end and the other againstthe other end of the bracket and cap, and thus preventing anylongitudinal play of the sh aft. An annular recess is formed in thesquare portion of the shaft for receivin g the metal ring p, the ring qof gum-elastic, or other like material, a second rin g, 1^, and thespiral springs. A similar annular recess is formed in the collar b forthe reception of similar rings and springs.

One of the great objections to ordinary propellers cast in one piece isthe necessarily massive hub, which takes up lnuch of the space which inits absence might be devoted to an extension of the blades toward the'center of the propeller. It will be observed that I dispense with thishub and increase the size ot the shaft at the point Where the blades aresecured, the holes for the reception of the pins being arranged apartfrom each other, so that the weakening of the shaft caused by theseholes is amply compensated for by a slight increase in the size of theshaft.

Another advantage of my improvement is the facility with which one ormore of the blades which may have been accidentally damaged can beremoved and replaced with new ones without disturbing the blades whichremain entire.

On reference to the blue lines 2 and 3, Fig. 4, it will be observedthateaeh blade, instead of presentinga face at right angles to thecenter of the shaft, leans in the direction of the motion of thevessel,the shaft or the base of each blade being so formed as to insurethis inclination, which Iv prefer, for the reason that the action of thepropeller will be free from the usual unnecessary agitation ofthe Water,and will insure greater speed.

It is impor tant that the outside bearings of propeller shafts should beat all times properly lubricated; hence the chambers hh of the bearingfor containing the oil, which can be fed to the journal by means of theusual Wicks steeped in the oil, and passing through openings in thelower step, m. The rings p are maintained in constant contact with thebearing-one on one side and one on the other-J by the spiral springs sand gum-elastic ring q, thereby serving to retain the oil in thecha-mbers, and'preventing the access of water, mud, sand, 85e., to thejournal.

The spiral springs may be dispensed with, and reliance placed on thegum-elastic ring only for retaining the rings p against the bearing; orthe gum-elastic rings may be dispensed with and the spiral springs onlyused. I prefer, however, the use of both elastic mediums.

It will be evident that when three blades and secured directly to anenlarged portion ota propeller-shaft by pins passing through or fittingin the said shaft, and arranged apa-rt from each other, all as setforth.

2.V The combination of the journal n, shoulders x, chambered bearing B,and the rings p, to which a constant pressure is vimparted through theelastic mediums described, or their equivalents, all being constructedsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' l L. B. FLANDERS. Witnesses:

.HENRY HoWsoN, CHARLES HoWsoN.

